As pressure rises on the U.S. Navy to boost its shipbuilding capacity, the Pentagon has released a call for a new type of undersea vessel called the Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform, or CAMP, an unmanned system built “to maximize operational effectiveness in contested environments,” according to the solicitation released by the Defense Innovation Unit.
This new class of remotely operated vessel aims to take the Navy’s capacity for undersea warfare to the next level — maneuvering in GPS-denied environments at a range greater than 1,000 nautical miles and diving to more than 200 meters underwater during missions, one of which would include dropping “various payloads to the sea floor.”
Integrating AI technology into U.S. shipbuilding comes as part of a widespread effort to revitalize an industry described by the Government Accountability Office as lingering in a “perpetual state of triage.”
The nation’s shipbuilding industry has been trailing far behind China and recently gave rise to concern about whether the U.S. would be able to replace disabled or sunken ships in a near-peer combat environment. The Navy plans to boost its number of battle force ships over the next three decades from 296 to 381 vessels.
While the CAMP initiative is expected to be cost effective and “minimize surface expression and duration,” it must also be designed for transport, deployment and recovery with “commonly available commercial freight and transport equipment,” the solicitation stated.
The CAMP document comes on the heels of recent undertakings by private industry to venture deeper into autonomous shipbuilding to address growing demand. HavocAI recently announced the upcoming launch of a 38-foot unmanned vessel known as the Seahound.
Additionally, Saronic Technologies, an autonomous vessel startup company, announced its acquisition of Gulf Craft, a Louisiana-based shipbuilder, last week. The company retained the shipbuilder’s current workforce and has stated that it aims to create over 500 jobs within the next three to four years.
Saronic also announced the debut of a 150-foot autonomous surface vessel (ASV) called “Marauder.” The vessel is designed to travel up to 3,500 nautical miles or loiter for over 30 days, according to a company release. In February, Saronic raised $600 million in funding to achieve its goal of building Port Alpha, a shipyard for autonomous vessels. And in March, the company announced a partnership with Palantir Technologies to enhance vessel software capabilities.
“By revitalizing our industrial base right here in Louisiana, we are taking a critical step toward building our own supply chains and countering foreign competitors like China,” said House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, according to the release. “All of this is essential to our national security. We are grateful to Saronic for their commitment to this industry and our great state.”
Zita Ballinger Fletcher previously served as editor of Military History Quarterly and Vietnam magazines and as the historian of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. She holds an M.A. with distinction in military history.
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